INDIANAPOLIS - Anthony Johnson couldn't have been happy when his first trip to the University of Illinois, a school he grew up following in the state he's from, resulted in him never leaving the bench.
Conversely, he probably couldn't have been happier for his first trip to the Big Ten Tournament resulted in him being the hero.
Now, I'm not going to over-state this: There was no hero Thursday night in Bankers Life Fieldhouse, of whatever it's called now.
This wasn't a game that needed a hero.
Anthony Johnson could have put up a doughnut and Purdue's still playing Friday night.
The fact that Nebraska matches up poorly with the Boilermakers only compounds the fact that Nebraska just ain't very good.
But with that said, Anthony Johnson was excellent against the Cornhuskers. He generated shots and he finished them, even through physical contact. He was aggressive and confident off the dribble, but smart about things. He rebounded. And he made good decisions, for the most part. When he drove, it wasn't with a single-minded approach. He had four assists.
Johnson can be a real sparkplug for Purdue. He was tonight. He's a nice complement to Terone Johnson and all of the Boilermakers' other guards for that matter. Like Matt Painter's said, he can "go get a shot," and he may be the only Boilermaker guard really suited to do that.
Things haven't been easy for the redshirt freshman this season. A very ambitious young man has had to practice patience.
Thursday night, for him individually and for his team, that patience paid off, and a silver lining from the Kelsey Barlow drama may have shown a bit of a glimmer.
It was all fine and good that Anthony Johnson and a coming-of-age Terone Johnson, for that matter, starred against Nebraska, but Nebraska is Nebraska.
Ohio State waits tomorrow. Then maybe more Big Ten Tournament games.
Then, Purdue goes bracketeering (trademark on that term pending).
If it's going to win games beyond tonight this post-season, now that the stakes have been raised, Purdue's going to need more than its seniors to win.
The play of a redshirt freshman and sophomore Thursday night gave Purdue reason to believe those upperclassmen could have the help they need when they need it most.
Copyright, Boilers, Inc. 2012. All Rights Reserved. Reproducing or using editorial or graphical content, in whole or in part, without permission, is strictly prohibited. E-mail GoldandBlack.com/Boilers, Inc.
Check out GoldandBlack.com on
Copyright, Boilers, Inc. 2012. All Rights Reserved. Reproducing or using editorial or graphical content, in whole or in part, without permission, is strictly prohibited. E-mail GoldandBlack.com/Boilers, Inc.
Check out GoldandBlack.com on
